Trying to Help Others During the Pandemic
With many clinics and drop-in centers closed, routines being skewed, unemployment soaring, isolation and general stress increased, work to help houseless individuals in the community recover from substance use has never been more crucial.
Mary Charles, who has been a peer support specialist at the Foundation for Recovery since Nov. 2019, is now working from home and hosting online meetings everyday at noon for community members in recovery.
"There's not a lot of other people out there doing it and this is definitely a vulnerable group of society. We can be uplifting to them and help them through their walk," Charles said.
Foundation for Recovery physically closed its doors but Charles and the staff are remaining busy to connect people with the resources they need. Charles said a majority of her day consists of phone calls now.
A Hug was a Life Changer for Her
Before landing a job as a peer support specialist, Charles was houseless for several years due to domestic violence. She was staying at different parks, but mostly returning to Paradise Park. She said she didn’t feel truly seen until someone approached her with sympathy and kindness.
"There had been other people when I was out there who said, 'Oh, we can help you,' and you go to that business and once you walk in there they look at you like they're not trying to help you anymore," Charles said of her own turnaround.
"When somebody has been there, when this person came and found me at the park, I didn't want to talk to her either. But she told me, 'Look, I've been where you are. I've been homeless. I was an addict.’" She had her own issues, I just knew she got it,” she said of what worked for her to trust someone else.
Charles said it can often lead to a more positive outcome if outreach workers have gone through similar situations.
"I remember the day that I felt human again. It was when she talked me into going into her office for services, which I did not want to do and I kept fighting it. I finally showed up and she hugged me. That was the day that I felt human again because here I was with dirty clothes on and not feeling like I deserved to be there, [but] she didn't care," Charles said.
Photo of her composition notebook from a previous Our Town Reno article. Charles wrote about her experiences while living on the streets and the day she felt seen for a therapeutic writing workshop called Voices Of Inspiration, Courage, and Empowerment (VOICE). Read her essay here: http://www.ourtownreno.com/our-stories-1/2018/10/13/stop-looking-at-me-mary-healing-from-abuse-with-her-own-voice
Housing is Crucial
Charles said on her last night on the streets it rained, soaking through a tarp above her, making her cold and wet. She said housing and a job that she loves have changed her own life for the best.
"I was in full-blown substance use disorder and living out on the streets. I've had huge changes because I'm in long term recovery now and I have this amazing career that I love. I like my life a lot," Charles said.
During coronavirus, Charles says she also supports using some hotel rooms to shelter houseless individuals, a solution other cities have pursued.